SURINAME: NEW DEVELOPMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91B00874R000200200003-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 3
• Publication Date: December 9, 1986
• Content Type: CABLE

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/30: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000200200003-6
ALA/PO/LA
INCOMING
CONFIDENTIAL
IMMEDIATE
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25X1
PAGE 001 NC 3107785
TOR: 092114Z DEC 86 PARAMA 03652
00 RUEAIIB
ZNY CCCCC ZOC STATE ZZH
UTS0775
00 RUEHC
DE RUEHCR #3652 3432020
ZNY CCCCC ZZH ZZK
O 092014Z DEC 86 ZFF4
FM AMEMBASSY PARAMARIBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 6113
INFO RUFHTH/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 3441
RUFHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0589
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 2537
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2971
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC
BT
C 0 N F I AMARIBO 03652
E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR
TAGS: PREL
SUBJECT: SURINAME: NEW DEVELOPMENTS
2. SURINAME'S SUPREME ADVISORY COUNCIL (TOPBERAAD)
MET IN EMERGENCY SESSION DECEMBER 8 TO HEAR THAT THE
COUNTRY WAS ABOUT TO BE INVADED. ASKED WHAT MEASURES
SHOULD BE TAKEN, PARTY LEADERS--PR POSED AND BOUTERSE
AGREED TO..ANNOUNOE TODAY DECEMBER 9 APECIFI
TIMETABLE FOR THE VARIOUS STAGES OF DEMOCRATIZATION.
VHP (HINDUSTANI PARTY) LEADER LACHMON GAVE THE FOLLOW-
ING ACCOUNT OF THE MEETING TO A CLOSE FRIEND. WHO
PASSED IT ALONG TO US.
3. ACCORDING TO LACHMON'S ACCOUNT, BOUTERSE LOOKED
DRAWN, TENSE AND TIRED. HE SAID THAT ACCORDING TO
GOOD INFORMATION A "FOREIGN COUNTRY" WOULD SHORTLY
INVADE SURINAME, POSSIBLY IN REACTION TO REPORTS
OF BUSH NEGRO KILLINGS IN EASTERN SURINAME. HE DID
NOT-- IDENTIEY_IHE_CO1INTRY BUT_H1NT.E2SHAL-I-T_WAS__
FRANCE. AIDEJ_.BY A WER". HE ASKED WHAT THE
COUNCIL MEMBERS THOUGHT SHOULD BE DONE_
4.'AFTER CAUCUSING. THE PARTY LEADERS, SPEAKING
THROUGH LACHMON, REPORTEDLY REMINDED BOUTERSE THAT
THEY HAD URGED HIM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO TO ANNOUNCE
AND COMMIT HIMSELF TO A SPECIFIC FORM OF AND TIMETABLE
FOR THE NEW DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. IF HE DID SO NOW
AND PUBLICIZED IT, THAT MIGHT STAVE OFF THE INVASION.
BOUTERSE REPORTEDLY AGREED, AND A COMMUNIQUE IS TO
BE ISSUED DECEMBER 9.
5. ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCE. THE STATEMENT HAS THE
CONSTITUTION BEING DRAFTED BY NEXT MARCH 31 AND PUT TO /
A REFERENDUM 6 MONTHS LATER. ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD
IN 1988.
6. THE DUTCH AMBASSADOR,- WITH WHOM WE MET THIS
MORNING. HAS HEARD THAT THE TOPBERAAD ALSO CONSIDERED
EXTENDING THE PRESENT STATE OF EMERGENCY TO PARAMARIBO
AND THE REST OF SURINAME, BUT THAT WAS NOT CONTAINED
runt ~nrn~-rI A-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/30: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000200200003-6
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/30: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000200200003-6
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IN THE ACCOUNT PRESENTED TO US. AMBASSADOR VAN
HOUTEN HAS ALSO HEARD RUMORS OF PREPARATIONS FOR LARGGE-_
-SCALE ARR?STS_IN_.. ARAMARIBO _OE_8i15INESS_ .
LEADERS. INCLUDING SOME PRESENT CABINET MEMBERS, BUT
THIS MAY BE MORE A SYMBOL OF TODAY'S STATE OF MIND
IN THIS COUNTRY THAN ACTUAL INTENTIONS. DECEMBER 8 IS
THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1982 KILLINGS.
7. COMMENT : BOUTERSE MAY HAVE GOTTEN WI D OF-IHE_J.L s..-
MARINES' PRESENCE IN FRENCH GUIANA AND COULD BE INTER-
PRETING IT IN THE LIGHT OF HIS OWN FEARS AND SUSPICIONS.
IF SO. HE HAS BEEN BROODING OVER IT AT LEAST SINCE
NOVEMBER 29, WHEN THE FOREIGN MINISTER ASKED THE AMBASSADOR
ABOUT REPORTS THAT THE U.S. WAS PLANNING TO INVADE SURINAME_
IN THE DECEMBER 8 MEETING WITH THE FOREIGN MINISTER REPORTED
SEPARATELY, THE QUESTION
DID NOT AGAIN COME UP. AND THE AMBASSADOR DID NOT
VOLUNTEER ANYTHING. CONSEQUENTLY, IF
BOUTERSE IS REALLY WORRIED, AS LACHMON REPORTEDLY INFERRED
FROM HIS APPEARANCE. HIS BOWING TO PRESSURE MIGHT BE ONLY
ONE REACTION. ANOTHER COULD BE A LASHING OUT AT HIS
"ENEMIES" AS HAPPENED BEFORE, AND THIS IS A DISQUIETING
POSSIBILITY.
8. IN ANY CASE, BOUTERSE HAS NOT GIVEN UP ANYTHING.
UNLESS THE COMMUNIQUE YIELDS TO THE-PARTIES ALL THEY
WANTED, HE WILL IN FACT HAVE GAINED SIX MONTHS FOR A
CONSTITUTION WHOSE TERMS ARE STILL UNKNOWN AND 18
MONTHS FOR UNDEFINED ELECTIONS FOR UNKNOWN INSTITUTIONS.
WE THEREEORE_BE r VE__IHAL REQELE_HERE_vILL SEE THE
COMMUNI(lUE,_AS_WHAL_IT_j5.==_A DEVICE_TO DISTRACT
ATTENTION_FROM THE-ATROCITIES IN EASTERN SURINAME AND
FROM THEGOV.ERNMFNT'S PR S ING PREDICAMENT. BARBOUR
END OF MESSAGE CONFIDENTIAL
'CONFIDENT'I'AL
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/30: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000200200003-6